Australian Open: Paes-Stepanek exit after quarter-finals loss

Veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek have been forced to exit the Australian Open after losing their men''s doubles quarterfinals on Wednesday at Melbourne Park.

Paes and Stepanek were beaten 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at the Margaret Court Arena by French duo Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut in their quarter-final match.

Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek. Pic/ AFP

Both Paes and Stepanek were erratic in the first set and committed four double faults. They also made 11 unforced errors while the Frenchmen made six.

Llodra and Mahut will next meet either Belarussian Max Mirnyi and his Russian partner Mikhail Youzhny or Pole Lukasz Kubot and his Swedish partner Robert Lindstedt in their semi-final draw.